Changed my carb/protein/fiber percentages

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aippolito1
aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So I was looking at my diaries from the past couple days to see how much fiber I'd been getting and realized my protein % was kind of low...and substantially different than the piece of paper I wrote all my %s down on when I first joined MFP, when I'd lost 1 lb per week. I had clicked on a link someone posted & the guy suggested doing 50% carb/20% protein/30% fat so I switched... since then I haven't really lost even though I've been within my calories and working out like crazy. I decided to change this back to whatever MFP suggests, what I wrote down originally. I know I've been hungrier more lately and going over my protein like crazy. I don't care if I go over because I know it's not that bad but I changed my percentages anyway. I don't like seeing those red numbers. :)

Do you guys think this is a good idea, to go back to what MFP recommends? I didn't lose anything again this week. I lost 1 lb last week but this week nothing even though I think I did better than last week... I'm so ready to lose. I really want to lose the next 5 lbs by my birthday (3 weeks!) and feel I can do it but something's gotta change, and I hope this is it. I'll be bumping up my cardio as well and cutting down on some of my weight training because I'm bulking up/staying the same size without losing fat and it's FRUSTRATING.

Replies

  • JJRunning
    JJRunning Posts: 146
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    Personally I think the recommendation they use for carbs is way too high, but it's personal preference:laugh:
  • pkgirrl
    pkgirrl Posts: 587
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    I think you have to play with it. I lost a lot when I first started with MFP, using their guidelines, but after losing about 10lbs it stopped completely, even with added exercise. I switched to a lower carb high protein diet for p90x (which I haven't really been doing, but I did follow the diet meticulously for about a week) and upped my calories from 1200 to 177, and I lost 3lbs effortlessly!

    I think it really depends on your body, and the activity you do. My experience has been that I do best when I eat as little carbs as possible (25-35% or so) but everybody's different. Good luck! :flowerforyou:
  • DrBorkBork
    DrBorkBork Posts: 4,099 Member
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    I upped my calories & changed my settings to 40% carbs 35% protein and 25% fat when I started running in January, and have been losing about 3 lbs a week ever since.
    It's definitely about playing around with the settings and finding your body's "sweet spot". You know, that one place in the universe where everything works so beautifully together. I think I got lucky and hit mine hard.
  • godblessourhome
    godblessourhome Posts: 3,892 Member
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    my settings are 45% protein, 25% carbs and 30% fat. each body has a different combo that works best for them. mpf sets the numbers as a general guideline, but i think it is fine to play with them until you get the ratio that works best for you.
  • dmags
    dmags Posts: 303
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    the fiber is way to low. I upped mine to 30 grams a day. That is what I have read is recommended for women. It is high for me, but I consider it more of a goal.
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
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    the fiber is way to low. I upped mine to 30 grams a day. That is what I have read is recommended for women. It is high for me, but I consider it more of a goal.

    Yeah! Mine was originally set at 25 so I changed it back. Somehow it was changed to 14??? No wonder I never went!! lol
  • indiankel
    indiankel Posts: 163 Member
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    Is it just a gamble in changing your settings? Should I be looking at my age...body etc?
  • raleigh
    raleigh Posts: 87 Member
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    great question- id love to know too!
  • JJRunning
    JJRunning Posts: 146
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    Someone posted this link on another message board : http://www.healthdiscovery.net/links/calculators/calorie_calculator.htm

    I love it because it factors in height, etc!! Give it a try and see what it recommends. (FYI My carbs are lower than this too, but it's helpful for fiber, etc).

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